Douche.



No. 797,365. I PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. 0. W0 MEINEGKE.

DUU'GHE.

mrmouwm FILED mm 33.1004

IIIIIIIIIJ(IMIIIII/ CHRISTIAN W MEI'NECKE, OF JERSEY CITY, NElV JERSEY.

DOUGHF...

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.,

Application filed June 28, 1904. Serial No- 213,784.

T0 at] whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN WV. Mamuoun, a citizen of the United States. residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Douches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to syringes of that variety in which a soft-rubber or other com 'prcssible bulb is employed for the temporary storage of the liquidto be discharged, and is primarily designed for use as W hat is known as a vaginal syringe or douche. 1 am aware of the existence of many forms of devices of this class, and this invention has more particularly reference to further improvements in a syringe or douche of the character shown and described by me in Letters Patent of the United States No. 7 58,67 3, dated May 3, 190%, in which is shown and described an article of this class provided with a neck bent at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the substantially ovate bulb, said bulb beingfurther provided with a flat face at its larger end, whereby the same might remain in a substan tially upright position when placed upon a table or other suitable support without danger of upsetting and thus permitting premature escape of its contents. I have found, however, while there are many advantages in a construction embodying the above features, that the weight of the enlarged portion of the neck or of a detachable nozzle, if used, which projects horizontally at right angles to the major axis of the bulb, produces a condition of unstable equilibrium, whereby in spite of the flat bottom the device is too easily tipped over and the contents thereof prematurely discharged. Furthermore, the auxiliary fluid- .rcceptacle is not a necessary adjunct of a device of this class beyond furnishing a yielding gage and shield in a one-piece douche. :l therefore have in view an equally efficient syringe for the particular purpose set forth in the Letters Patent aforesaid, but one which may be readily adapted for a number of different uses, cheap and simple of construction, and possessing the additional advantages of being of a coniigurationto be retained in a more stable equilibrium when charged for use and placed to one side in a position of rest. Furthermore, the douche shown and described by me in the Letters Patent aforesaid is preferably constructed of a single integral piece of rubber, thereby confining its usefulness to a single one of the various purposes which such devices are designed to serve, the present invention contemplating, therefore, a douche in connection with which various forms of detachable nozzles may be employed and, as someforms of nozzles are long and heavy, a construction and configuration of bulb the equilibrium of which when in a position of rest is not affected by the character of nozzle employed.

With the above and other ends in view my invention consists generally in the novel means for carrying the above objects into effect and in the various novel details of construction and in combination of the parts, all as hereinafter more full y described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a rubber or other compressible fluid-receptacle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the bulb or receptacle with one of a number of various attachments applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modification of the complete device. Fig. 5 is a central section of the bent neck of the bulb with a nozzlesecuring collar applied thereto, whereby any one of a number of various forms of attachments may be detachably secured to said bulb. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of different forms of nozzles or attachments adapted for use with a bulb embodying my invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown a compressible bulb, preferably of soft rubber, of suitable size, comprising the substantially ovate or pear-shaped body por tion 2, merging into a neck Asis well known, this bulb is designed to provide a storage chamber or receptacle within which may be placed any desired liquid and which when. the walls thereof are subjected to ordinary compression by the hand will tend to discharge the liquid contcnts through the neck.

As heretofore shown and described by me in Letters Patent No. 758,673 aforesaid and for the reasons therein set forth, the neck 3 of the bulb is permanently bent at substantially right angles to the major axis of said bulb. 'lo the end t of the neck may be detachably secured in any suitable manner different forms of nozzles for the various purposes to which an article embodying my invention may be adapted. It will be apparent nozzle, and in Fig. 8 a spraying-nozzle such that the peculiar configuration of this bulb, particularly when the neck and attachment project at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, renders it difiicult or exceedingly inconvenient to place the syringe or douche to one side when charged on account of the fact that gravity will cause the article to assume a position from which the contents of the bulb will drain away. It will be apparent, furthermore, that providing the bulb with the flattened face at its end, as shown in my prior Letters Patent aforesaid, is not sufficient to prevent overturning when a long or heavy nozzle projects from said neck.

I have found that if I provide the bulb with a flat face 5, located upon the side of the bulb opposite to the side toward which the neck is bent or in a plane perpendicular to the direction of final discharge, the bulb may be placed upon any flat surface and be retained in comparatively stable equilibrium. The discharge end of the neck or the projecting nozzle or attachment will be held in a substantially vertical position, whereby no liquid can escape from the bulb, and it will not be subject to easy overturning.

\Vhile it is obvious that the elasticity of the soft rubber of whichI prefer to construct this bulb enables me to employ a hard-rubber or other nozzle provided with a projecting extremity 6, adapted to be inserted and frictionally held within the discharge end of the neck 3, nevertheless on account of the fact that the frequent removal and replacement of nozzles has the effect of gradually destroying the elasticity of the rubber and finally rendering the device leaky and unfit for use I prefer to employ an annular preferably hardrubber, collar6, adapted to be inserted within the end of said neck and permanently held therein either through the elasticity of the rubber alone or through the employment of a suitable cement or glue. This connection 6 I prefer to provide with an overlapping rim 7 and interior screw threads 8. Thus equipped, I may be enabled to employ with my bulb any one of an infinite number of nozzles or attachments, each thereof being readily removed and applied. I have particularly illustrated three forms of nozzles, for which in themselves no specific invention is claimed, the one shown in Fig. 6 being a common form of vaginal nozzle, preferably comprising the hard-rubber tube 9 and the adjustable softrubber shield 10, slidable thereon. In Fig. 7

I have illustrated a common form of rectal l l l as will adapt my device for the watering of flowers and other house-plants in pots.

It will be apparent that I have provided a configuration of bulb which may be equipped with any form of light or heavy nozzle discharge and placed upon any flat surface in a manner to insure its retaining an upright position and, further, that I have provided a simple form of connection which will enable me to employ with such bulb an y desired character of discharge nozzle or attachment.

It will be apparent that my complete device would be as serviceable and possibly cheaper. of construction were the neck thereof straight and the nozzle or attachment provided with the bend, as shown in Fig. 4. The object of the invention being to provide a configuration of douche which may in use beheld in a position to prevent preliminary discharge of air, and thus effect the utilization of full capacity of the fluid-receptacle, and which when placed to one side in a position of rest will hold the discharge tube or nozzle in a vertical position, it is clearly immaterial for the purposes of the description which of the two parts is provided ith the bend.

Many other modifications of the minor details of the construction of my improved syringe or douche will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit or confine my invention to the specific construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A compressible bulb for syringes and the like of substantially ovate configuration, the smaller end merging into an elongated neck having a substantially rectangular bend therein, said bulb being provided with a flat face between the ends thereof and the bent portion of said neck being perpendicularly disposed to the plane of said face.

2. A compressible bulb for syringes and the like, having a flat face and a projecting neck bent at substantially a right angle to itself, the base of the bent portion of said neck being in the plane of said face, to which said portion is substantially perpendicular.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN IV. MEINEGKE. Witnesses:

JAS. J. WHELAN, DANIEL HOGAN. 

